Bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure

ABSTRACT

A bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure is constructed to include a top plate member and a bottom plate member bonded together and defining a vapor chamber between said top and bottom plate member, connecting members provided between the top and bottom plate members each having a bottom end passed through a respective through hole in the bottom plate member and a bottom screw hole in the bottom end for mounting, a heat sink bonded to the top surface of the top plate member, and an internally sintered metal capillary wick provided within the vapor chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an integrated circuit chipcooling structure for cooling an integrated circuit chip and, morespecifically, to a bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip coolingstructure.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Heat and heat sink are commonly used in advanced computers orelectronic apparatus to dissipate heat from an integrated circuit chip,for example, the CPU, for the advantage of superior heat transferefficiency. U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,191, entitled “Integrated circuit heatpipe heat spreader with through mounting holes”, shows an example.According to this design, the heat pipe is held tightly against the heatsource by mounting holes, which penetrate the structure of the heat pipebut are sealed off from the vapor chamber because they each are locatedwithin a sealed structure such as a pillar or the solid layers of thecasing surrounding the vapor chamber. This design is still notsatisfactory in function. Because of the weak structural strength in thearea around the mounting holes, the mounting holes of the heat spreaderare not practical for fastening to a circuit board by screws.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention has been accomplished to provide a bottomfixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure, whicheliminates the aforesaid drawback. It is therefore the main object ofthe present invention to provide a bottom fixation type integratedcircuit chip cooling structure, which achieves a satisfactory heat sinkfixation effect. It is another object of the present invention toprovide a bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip coolingstructure, which can easily and firmly fastened to a circuit board byscrews. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, thebottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure comprisesa top plate member, the top plate member having an edge lip that boundsa top surface and a bottom surface; a bottom plate member, the bottomplate member having an edge lip that bounds a top surface and a bottomsurface, and at least one through hole through the top and bottomsurfaces, the edge lips of the top and bottom plate members being bondedtogether so as to define a vapor chamber between the top and bottomplate member; at least one externally threaded connecting memberprovided between the top plate member and the bottom plate membercorresponding to the at least one through hole, the at least oneconnecting member each having a bottom end inserted downwardly throughone of the at least one through hole and peripherally sealed to theperiphery of the corresponding through hole for mounting; a heat sinkbonded to the top surface of the top plate member; and an internallysintered metal capillary wick provided within the vapor chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a bottom fixation typeintegrated circuit chip cooling structure constructed according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention.

[0007]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the first embodiment ofthe present invention, showing the structure of the internally sinteredmetal capillary wick.

[0008]FIG. 3 shows an application example of the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0009]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 3.

[0010]FIG. 5 shows an application example of the second embodiment ofthe present invention.

[0011]FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate form of the connecting member inthe bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structureaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bottom fixation type integratedcircuit chip cooling structure 10 in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a top platemember 11, a bottom plate member 21, and a heat sink 31.

[0013] The top plate member 11 has an edge lip 12 that bounds a topsurface 14 and a bottom surface 16.

[0014] The bottom plate member 21 has an edge lip 22 that bounds a topsurface 24 and a bottom surface 26. The edge lip 22 of the bottom platemember 21 is bonded to the edge lip 12 of the first plate member 11 soas to define a vapor chamber 19 between the top plate member 11 and thebottom plate member 21. An internally sintered metal capillary wick 191is provided within the vapor chamber 19. The internally sintered metalcapillary wick 191 is comprised of an upper plate-like wick element 192located on the bottom surface 16 of the top plate member 11, a bottomplate-like wick element 193 located on the top surface 24 of the bottomplate member 21, and a plurality of vertical wick element 194 providedbetween the upper plate-like wick element 192 and the bottom plate-likewick element 193. The vertical wick elements 194 each have a bottom sideintegral with the bottom plate-like wick element 193, and a top sidestopped at the bottom side of the top plate-like wick element 192. Thetop plate-like wick element 192, the bottom plate-like wick element 193,and the vertical wick elements 194 define a liquid passage. The spacebetween the top plate-like wick element 192 and the bottom plate-likewick element 193 serves as an air passage. Therefore, the wholestructure of the top plate member 11, the bottom plate member 21, andthe internally sintered metal capillary wick 191 is convenient forconversion between liquid phase and vapor phase. The bottom plate member21 has a plurality of through holes 211 through the top surface 24 andthe bottom surface 26. A plurality of externally threaded connectingmembers 41 are installed in the plate members 11 and 21 corresponding tothe through holes 211 of the bottom plate member 11, each having a topend inserted through the top plate-like wick element 192 and adhered tothe bottom surface 16 of the top plate member 11 and a bottom endinserted through the bottom plate-like wick element 193 and one throughhole 211 of the bottom plate member 21 to the outside of the vaporchamber 19. The bottom end of each connecting member 41 terminates in afoot 47. The periphery of each through hole 211 of the bottom platemember 21 is sealed to the periphery of the corresponding connectingmember 41 in an airtight condition. Each connecting member 41 furtherhas a center screw hole 45 axially extended through the center of thefoot 47.

[0015] The heat sink 31 is comprised of a plurality of radiation fins 32each having a bottom side bonded to the top surface 14 of the top platemember 11.

[0016] Because of the arrangement of the connecting members 41, thebottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure 10 has astrong mounting structure on the outside for the installation of screws59 to fix the bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip coolingstructure 10 to a heat source (see FIG. 3). Further, the structure ofthe internally sintered metal capillary wick 191 facilitates conversionbetween liquid phase and vapor phase.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, screws 59 are mounted in respectivethrough holes 53 of the circuit board 51 carrying the heat source 55from the bottom side and threaded into the center screw hole 45 of eachconnecting member 41 respectively to fix the bottom fixation typeintegrated circuit chip cooling structure 10 to the circuit board 51.When installed, the foot 47 of each connecting member 41 keeps thebottom plate member 21 spaced above the top side of the circuit board 51at a distance corresponding to the height of the heat source 55 so thatthe heat source 55 is maintained is close contact with the bottomsurface 26 of the bottom plate member 21 for quick dissipation of heat.

[0018]FIG. 5 shows a bottom fixation type integrated circuit chipcooling structure 60 according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention. This embodiment is similar to the aforesaid first embodimentwith the exception of the connecting members. According to thisembodiment, the connecting members, referenced by 61, each have a bottomend disposed in flush with the bottom surface 26′ of the bottom platemember 21′. When installed, the circuit board 51′ is directly attachedto the bottom surface 26′ of the bottom plate member 21′. According tothis embodiment, the bottom fixation type integrated circuit chipcooling structure 60 directly dissipates heat from the circuit board51′. This embodiment achieves a strong mounting effect same as theaforesaid first embodiment. Because the use and structural concept ofthis second embodiment are same as the aforesaid first embodiment, norfurther detailed description in these regards is necessary.

[0019]FIG. 6 shows another alternate form of the arrangement of theconnecting members. According to this embodiment, the connecting members41″ are directly fixedly fastened to the bottom plate member 21″ andspaced below the top plate member 11″ at a distance. The bottom end ofeach connecting member 41″ passes through the bottom plate-like wickelement 193″ and the bottom plate member 21″.

[0020] According to the aforesaid first embodiment, the connectingmembers 41 downwardly protrude over the bottom side of the bottom platemember 21 of the bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip coolingstructure 10 at a distance so as to space the bottom fixation typeintegrated circuit chip cooling structure 10 above the circuit board ata distance for easy installation of the heat source 55. Further, theinstallation of the bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip coolingstructure 10 is easy. Simply by threading the respective screws 59 intothe center screw hole 45 of each connecting member 41, the bottomfixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure 10 is fixedlyfastened to the circuit board 51.

[0021] A prototype of bottom fixation type integrated circuit chipcooling structure has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1˜5.The bottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structurefunctions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

[0022] Although particular embodiments of the invention have beendescribed in detail for purposes of illustration, various modificationsand enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited exceptas by the appended claims.

What the invention claimed is:
 1. A bottom fixation type integratedcircuit chip cooling structure comprising: a top plate member, said topplate member having an edge lip that bounds a top surface and a bottomsurface; a bottom plate member, said bottom plate member having an edgelip that bounds a top surface and a bottom surface, the edge lips ofsaid top and bottom plate members being bonded together so as to definea vapor chamber between said top and bottom plate member; wherein saidbottom plate member has at least one through hole; at least oneexternally threaded connecting member provided between said top platemember and said bottom plate member corresponding to said at least onethrough hole, said at least one connecting member each having a bottomend inserted downwardly through one of said at least one through holeand peripherally sealed to the periphery of the corresponding throughhole for mounting; a heat sink bonded to the top surface of said topplate member; and an internally sintered metal capillary wick providedwithin said vapor chamber.
 2. The bottom fixation type integratedcircuit chip cooling structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said atleast one connecting member each has the respective bottom enddownwardly extended out of said bottom plate member through therespective through hole at a distance and terminating in a foot.
 3. Thebottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one connecting member eachhave a bottom center screw hole in the respective bottom end.
 4. Thebottom fixation type integrated circuit chip cooling structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said internally sintered metal capillarywick comprises an upper plate-like wick element located on the bottomsurface of said top plate member, a bottom plate-like wick elementlocated on the top surface of said bottom plate member, and a pluralityof vertical wick element provided between said upper plate-like wickelement and said bottom plate-like wick element, said vertical wickelements each having a first end integral with one of said top andbottom plate members and a second end supported on the other of said topand bottom plate members.
 5. The bottom fixation type integrated circuitchip cooling structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least oneconnecting member each have a top end bonded to the bottom surface ofsaid top plate member.
 6. The bottom fixation type integrated circuitchip cooling structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat sink iscomprised of a plurality of radiation fins directly bonded to the topsurface of said top plate member.